What does the future hold for A Level graduates?

Aug. 21, 2009 - PRLog -- It’s the end of A Level results week and teens up and down the country are now breathing a well deserved sigh of relief. It’s not over yet though, with that all-important certificate now in hand, young graduates are now faced with a new dilemma, what next?

In the past 50 years following the path to further education has become so commonplace that results seem merely a confirmation of which university youngsters will be heading to. The recent financial meltdown, however, has thrown a large and inconvenient spanner in the works.

With pass rates rising for the 27th year in a row* university places are becoming thinner on the ground, as an increasing number of school leavers compete for a dwindling number of spaces and more worryingly, university graduates who have completed their degrees are now joining the growing ranks of the unemployed. So what are the options for those who choose not to go to university?

Taking a gap year has been always been considered a natural prelude to university but times have changed and the idea of travelling and taking some time out is now emerging as a popular alternative for school leavers and graduates waiting for the job market to recover.

Gap years have long been recognised as providing not only the chance to traverse the globe and gain some useful life experience, but also an opportunity to develop skills that will be useful in later life and in the workplace. Still better, are gap year experiences that offer something more worthwhile, such as volunteering overseas.

Volunteer providers such as Real Gap offer students and graduates alike a range of choices, which combine overseas adventures with volunteering experiences. Young people can choose from over 40 destinations and almost 400 travel options. Volunteer projects range from community work in Uganda to rainforest conservation in the Amazon, giving youngsters a chance to broaden their cultural horizons and develop important skills such as working as part of a team, communicating effectively and the ability to cope with unexpected situations.

For those who want to use their travel experience as the launch pad to a new career, Real Gap also have a specific selection of trips, which give travellers the chance to explore whilst gaining useful qualifications and testing out new careers. Learning what it takes to be a lifeguard on Australia's Gold Coast, training to become a rescue diver in Fiji and experiencing life as cowboy in the USA are just a few of the available options. The company additionally provide TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) courses and volunteer placements where gap year travellers and budding teachers can put their newly gained skills into practice.

With so many options open to those who choose to take an extended break from or after university the gloom of the ever-hanging credit crunch need not be quite so grey, in fact, the future may even be considered to be looking a little brighter.

For more details about Real Gap, visit http://wwww.realgap.co.uk or call 01892 516164 for travel advice.

*Material sourced from the Metro, 21st August 2009.